Ex-Cat Mohammed still going strong in NBA

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) - It wasn't even a year and a half agothat Nazr Mohammed was so frustrated at being buried on the benchby Bobcats coach Larry Brown that he wanted out of Charlotte. Brown replied that he tried to trade Mohammed, but no found notakers. Now after the departures of Emeka Okafor and Tyson Chandler, the33-year-old Mohammed is not only still around, he's Brown'sstarting center. Mohammed smiled and shook his head this week when asked what ifsomeone had suggested this scenario in April 2009. "I would have told you it was crazy, that I really thoughtsomething was wrong with you," he said. "I did not think I wouldlast this long and definitely not starting. That was a rough, roughyear for me mentally." Mohammed was surprised at how he was received when Brown tookover as Bobcats coach because this was their second time together.Brown was in Philadelphia in 1998 when the 76ers acquired theformer Kentucky big man shortly after Utah drafted him in the firstround. "I kind of thought that he knew what I brought to the team,"Mohammed said. "But it had been so long since I played for him. Ididn't play much for him in my earlier years, years had passed. Ithought he knew but I just had to reintroduce myself to him." The Hall of Fame coach wasn't impressed After being a part-timestarter a year earlier, Mohammed appeared in only 39 games in2008-09 and averaged 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds. Mohammed's big contract made him difficult to trade, so heembarked on a rigid offseason conditioning program and came totraining camp last year determined to win over Brown. It didn't work right way. "When he got to play early I thought he was terrible," Brownsaid. Part of the problem is the 6-foot-10 Mohammed doesn't do thethings Brown likes from a center. He's not extremely athletic,lacks a big wingspan and isn't an intimidating shot-blocker. "You know what his prototypical center is and I know I'm nothis prototypical center," Mohammed said. "But I know that youdon't play 13 years in this league without being able to do somegood things out on the floor." That includes being a consistent scorer with a soft touch and aneffective rebounder. He was also in great shape after his offseasonworkouts. Mohammed slowly started to come on. In the same week in earlyFebruary he had 23 points and 17 rebounds against the Los AngelesLakers and 21 points and 20 rebounds against Minnesota. "Maybe he got in better shape. Maybe he got stronger. Butbefore he got hurt he was playing better than at any time I've everseen," Brown said. "He tried to defend. He ran the floor and heearned the right to play." But Mohammed hurt his back in late February. It took weeksbefore it was determined to be a nerve problem. Mohammed didn'tplay again until April 7, and by then Charlotte had acquiredveteran Theo Ratliff, who started at center for the rest of theseason and the playoffs. Then Ratliff wasn't re-signed and the Bobcats traded Chandler -who was acquire a year earlier for Okafor - to Dallas for ErickDampier. Charlotte initially wanted to waive Dampier and re-signhim, but he declined the offer and Dampier was let go. That leaves Mohammed, DeSagana Diop and the injured Kwame Brownas Charlotte's centers. And Larry Brown still isn't quite sureMohammed is his guy. He said of Mohammed and Diop this week that"the things that I want a center to do are difficult for them." "It's hard sometimes but at the same time coach respects what Ido," Mohammed said. "He's told me many, many times he was realhappy with how I played last year and I do deserve anopportunity." Mohammed is healthy and appears in great shape again. Beginninghis 13th season, he adds some perspective on his ups and downs inthe NBA and with the demanding Brown. "You keep pushing and don't just sit over there sulking andbringing the team down, getting out of shape," Mohammed said. "Noone wants to be around a guy like that." Added Brown: "I don't want anybody on my team who doesn't wantto play. The reality is, and Nazr figured it out, you've got to beprepared for when your turn happens." Notes: Brown canceled Thursday's evening workout, but had theteam go for nearly three hours in the lone practice. ... By thetime the Bobcats finished Thursday, waterlogged Wilmington hadreceived 21 inches of rain this week. It's had little affect on theBobcats except for one thing. "I can't do my walk," Brown said."I'm getting fat."

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